(AP/AFP Photo)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been inundated with over 3,000 applications for the coveted position of head coach for India’s men’s national cricket team. However, as reported by The Indian Express, among this deluge of applications, the board has encountered a slew of fraudulent submissions, some brazenly employing the identities of politicians and retired cricketers in an attempt to deceive the selection process.
Rahul Dravid, the current head coach, will wrap up his tenure post the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA this June. BCCI initiated the recruitment process on May 13 via Google Forms, witnessing a substantial daily influx of applications until the May 27 deadline. Sorting through the multitude of submissions poses a daunting challenge for the board, considering their prior experience of grappling with around 5,000 counterfeit applications under famous personalities’ names during the previous hiring phase. Unlike before, applications were solicited via email, but this time, BCCI opted for Google Forms.
The narrative repeats itself – BCCI
Fake applications included notable personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. A BCCI official emphasized the ongoing struggle with counterfeit submissions, noting similar issues from the previous year. Speaking to The Indian Express, the official elaborated that employing Google Forms facilitates the examination of applicant names on a consolidated platform.
“Last year too, the BCCI received such a response where imposters applied, and the story is similar this time. The reason the BCCI had to invite applications on Google forms is it’s easy to scrutinize the names of applicants in one sheet,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
Rahul Dravid purportedly opted out of reapplying for the Indian team’s coaching role, citing a desire to prioritize family time. The BCCI has yet to disclose genuine applicants. Speculation abounds regarding potential candidates for this esteemed coaching position.
Shortlisted contenders will face interviews conducted by the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape. The incoming head coach will serve a term spanning three and a half years, commencing from July 1st, 2024, to December 31st, 2027.
“The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a world-class Indian cricket team that delivers sustained success in all conditions and formats, inspiring current and future generations of cricketers and stakeholders with their approach to the game. The Head Coach will have overall responsibility for the performance and management of the India Men’s team in all three formats of the game.”
“The Head Coach will lead a team of specialist coaches and support staff and will be responsible for defining their roles, their performance, and ongoing development. The Head Coach will be responsible for reviewing, maintaining, and enforcing the disciplinary codes within the Indian Men’s team.”
Following Gary Kirsten’s triumphant coaching stint that culminated in the 2011 World Cup victory, former Zimbabwean cricketer Duncan Fletcher became the subsequent foreign head coach for Team India. Fletcher took the reins in 2011 and held the position until 2015.
